Honey Locust Sunburst
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis 'Sunburst'
A fast-growing shade tree that emerges each spring with brilliant golden-yellow foliage that gradually transitions to bright green, creating a stunning color display. This thornless and podless variety is perfect for homeowners who want the beauty of honey locust without the cleanup, plus its delicate filtered shade allows grass to grow underneath.
Harvest
N/Ad
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
3–8
USDA hardiness
Height
60-80 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Honey Locust Sunburst in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 ornamental-tree →Zone Map
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Honey Locust Sunburst · Zones 3–8
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
Complete Growing Guide
Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt). Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: more than 60 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Gleditsia triacanthos var inermisThornless variety and source of all species cultivars. 'Harve’Medium to large, thornless and seedless, winter hardy. 'Impcole'AKA IMPERIAL, thornless, nearly seedless, rounded compact form 30' to 40' tall. 'Skyline'Pyramidal growth with a central leader, thornless and nearly seedless, grows to 40' to 45' tall. 'Sunburst'Yellow leaves, fruitless and thornless var. inermis No thorns, Gleditsia triacanthos var inermis, 'Harve’, 'Impcole', 'Skyline', 'Sunburst', var. inermis. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting. Regions: Coastal, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Female flowers are replaced by reddish-brown, twisted, flat bean pods 12 to 18 inches long containing oval seeds appear in the summer and can remain on the tree through the winter. Seed pods twist into corkscrew shapes and can be messy to maintain once they fall off the tree. The pods turn black when ripe and contain a sweet-tasting sticky substance that gives Honeylocust its common name.
Color: Brown/Copper, Red/Burgundy. Type: Legume. Length: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Winter
Bloom time: Spring
Edibility: The pulp inside the seed pod is edible, raw or cooked, but mostly consumed by livestock and wildlife.
History & Origin
Origin: Central and Eastern North America, NC to Mexico
Advantages
- +Disease resistance: Black Walnut, Deer, Drought, Pollution
- +Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Moths, Small Mammals
- +Wildlife value: Bean pods are eaten by white-tailed deer, squirrels, rabbits, hogs, opossums, and raccoons, deer browse young shoots in spring and bark of young trees in the winter. Butterflies, bees, and moths nectar at the flowers. It is the larval host plant for the Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus).
- +Edible: The pulp inside the seed pod is edible, raw or cooked, but mostly consumed by livestock and wildlife.
- +Fast-growing
- +Low maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Hosta
Thrives in the dappled shade created by honey locust's filtered canopy
Astilbe
Enjoys partial shade conditions and complements the tree's airy texture
Coral Bells
Tolerates filtered light and adds colorful foliage contrast to golden leaves
Japanese Painted Fern
Flourishes in the light shade and provides textural contrast
Catmint
Tolerates drought conditions similar to honey locust and deters pests
Daylily
Adapts well to changing light conditions as tree matures
Lungwort
Benefits from the tree's light shade and spring moisture retention
Sedum
Shares drought tolerance and won't compete aggressively for nutrients
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which can inhibit honey locust growth and health
Norway Maple
Creates dense shade that honey locust cannot tolerate, competes for resources
Ailanthus
Aggressive root system and allelopathic compounds suppress nearby plantings
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Generally disease resistant, some susceptibility to canker
Common Pests
Honey locust plant bug, spider mites, scale insects
Diseases
Canker, leaf spot (minor), root rot in wet soils